Google Assistant is designed to let you control your phone using voice commands. This virtual assistant can do anything from setting appointments to sending text messages and playing music from various services. When you find Google Assistant not playing music, it could be caused by the Google app, the command you’re using to play music or your linked Google account that’s tied to your music service.
You can however get your tunes going again using a specific command, with the steps in the fixes below.
How to fix Google Assistant not playing music
Check that the Google app and music service app have the required permissions
For Google Assistant to work, it needs the Google app otherwise it’ll malfunction if the required permissions aren’t in place.
To check permissions, take these steps:
- Open Settings>Apps & Permissions.
- Tap Google and then tap Permissions
- Slide any grayed out sliders to the right
- Hit back button and go to Apps & permissions
- Tap your music service app (by default Google Play Music) – it can also be Spotify, Pandora, YouTube Music, TuneIn, or others
- Now tap Permissions
- Check that the storage permission is allowed in the app for it to access locally stored music
- Now check if Google Assistant plays the music
Check that Google Assistant and the music service account link to one Google account
Google Play Music and other music service apps need Google Assistant and the music app to use one Google account. Multiple accounts can cause a mismatch and you’ll find Google Assistant not playing music from your device. This can also cause issues with Google Home.
To check and link to the same account, do this:
- Open Google app and tap More
- Check the Google account at the top of the screen (this is the account your music service should be linked to )
- Switch the Google account used by Google Assistant by tapping the down arrow
- Tap the account you want to use both apps with. It has to be the same one you link to the music service account. You can also tap Add account if you don’t see it
- Open Google Play Music or your music app
- Tap the three vertical lines icon
- The account will be displayed at the upper left side with user icons of other accounts
- Tap Switch and repeat this for each music service app you see
Try to link a new music service to your Google account/Set the default music service on your Google Assistant device
If you find Google Assistant not playing music, you can link the new music account to help you figure it out. If it plays with the newly linked music app, check the Google account linked to both and take the steps below to link a new music streaming service to the Assistant:
- Open Google app
- Tap More
- Now tap Settings>Settings>Music and tap the link icon next to a music service
- Tap Link account and then tap agree
- Repeat the steps for each music service you want linked and try playing music from Google Assistant
What to do if Google Assistant is not playing music from your library
You can do two things: in your request when attempting to play music from your device, include the “in my library” phrase or, create a locally stored music playlist and ask Google Assistant to play it.
Elsie is a tech writer with 8+ years professional experience. For Tech News Watch, she brings rich experience contributing to topics such as Windows, MacOS, Android, and iOS among others. In her spare time, she loves checking out the latest tech trends, gadgets, and news, listening to music and cars.
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